Revving Up

Sri Lanka’s new president demanded Friday the launch of a fresh peace process with Tamil Tiger rebels in the ethnically troubled island and “transparent” monitoring of a Norwegian-brokered truce. Sri Lanka’s new president demanded Friday the launch of a fresh peace process with Tamil Tiger rebels in the ethnically troubled island and “transparent” monitoring of a Norwegian-brokered truce. President Mahinda Rajapakse, in his first policy statement to parliament following his election win last week, said he wanted to institute a new peace process that would not tolerate “terrorism” and recruitment of child soldiers.

The president said the peace process between the previous government and the Tamil Tigers did not make progress because other stakeholders were excluded.

“The current ceasefire agreement will be revised to ensure protection of human rights, prevent recruitment of children for war, safeguard national security, prevent terrorist acts…and introduce an open transparent ceasefire monitoring mechanism,” he told the 225-member assembly.

Shortly after his policy statement, the national parliament voted to extend a state of emergency by one month, a move that gives sweeping pow

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